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Then Veerabahu went to Attani Mandapam where Surapadman resided. Surapadman was sitting upon a throne decorated with diamonds and pearls. Veerabahu introduced himself as Lord Murugan's messenger, but Surapadman ignored him and did not invite him to sit down. By the power of Lord Murugan there came a throne with a halo decorated with precious gems. Veerabahu sat on it and spoke about the greatness of Lord Murugan and asked Surapadman to release Tirumal's followers. Upon hearing Veerabahu, Surapadman clapped his hands and laughed. He asked one of his men to throw Veerabahu in prison since to kill a messenger was a sin. By the power of Lord Murugan, Veerabahu demolished the entire Attani Mandapam and all the forests surrounding the capital. He killed Satamukhan, Vakshiravagu the son of Surapadman and several thousand other monster asuras who opposed him.

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This was all narrated by Brihaspati (god Jupiter) to Lord Murugan who heard everything. Murugan sent Veerabahu as messenger to Surapadman to advise him to release the followers of Tirumal. Veerabahu obeyed at once and started for Veera Mahendrapuri, the capital of the asuras. Assuming a huge form, he slayed the guards and entered the city. Murugan then appeared in a dream of Sayantan and said to him, "Yours sufferings will soon end. The asuras will be destroyed. Have no fear!" Veerabahu met Sayanthan and others and comforted them. He told them, "You attended Takka's Velvi and ate Avirbhagam and so you were imprisoned. To redeem you Lord Subrahmanya is coming with His Vel. He will destroy Surapadman."

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It seems that Maya, a woman of the asura clan, attracted the hermit sage Kasyapa and begot Surapadman, Singhamukhan, Tarakan and Asamukhi. From their sweat hundreds of thousands of asuras were born. Surapadman and his younger brothers studied under Sukeerar. He did hard penance toward Lord Siva for many years.

Lord Siva appeared before him and granted him the power to live for a hundred and eight yugas, to rule a thousand and eight kingdoms and to be undefeatable even by the forces of Lord Visnu. Surapadman's life force could not be destroyed by anyone except by the power created when Indra's chariot, the Lion throne and the four kinds of forces were joined together.

The soldiers of Surapadman invaded heaven and burned it. They enslaved the followers of Tirumal (Visnu) and made them to do household cleaning chores. Asamukhi went to kidnap Indra's wife Indrani who was hiding in Seerkali in order to present her to Surapadman. Surapadman commanded his son Banugopan to burn heaven. He imprisoned the son of Indra, Sayantan and other followers of Tirumal and treated them harshly.

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Lord Murugan was on his way south to Tiruchendur. The six sons of sage Parasura who was performing tapas (penance) upon Tiruparankundram, namely Tatar, Anandar, Nandi, Satirmugar, Chakravani and Mali, felt the arrival of Lord Murugan in their mind's eye. They found Murugan and prostrated before Him.

Afer reaching Tiruchendur, Murugan sat upon the throne in the temple built by Devadakshan while his army cheered. Then Murugan asked Brihaspati (Jupiter) to narrate the whole story of Surapadman to him. Murugan knew the whole story of course, but he asked Brihaspati to narrate it anyways.

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Asurēndran, son of Tārakan, went to Surapadman and informed him of Tārakan's death and wept. Surapadman upon hearing that Murugan, a mere child, had killed his mighty brother Tārakan, became furious. His minister Aramahan tried to console Surapadman and sent spies to find out the strength of Lord Murugan's army.

Lord Murugan had camped on the bank of the river Manni with his army. He asked Devadakshan to build a temple there. He installed the image of Lord Siva and offered prayer at that spot.

Lord Siva was very pleased with Lord Murugan's worship. Being seating on His vehicle Nandi he appeared with Goddess Uma before Murugan. Upon being worshipped by Lord Murugan, Lord Siva provided him with the Pasupata weapon to kill the asura monsters.

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Tārakan saw that his soldiers were being killed in great numbers and became very angry. He used magic to send Veerabahu and his men into the Krauncha mountain and bury them there. Narada carried this message to Lord Murugan. Murugan came and fought with Tarakan. He hurled his Vel, which pierced Tarakan's chest and turned the Krauncha mountain into powder. As soon as the mountain was destroyed, Veerabahu and his men woke up alive. They all sang the praise of Lord Murugan.

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The Lord also presented a marvelous chariot to Lord Murugan with the wind god Vayu as its charioteer. Lord Murugan then set off to vanquish the asuras.

As Lord Murugan was proceeding south, he encountered Kraunchan and Tarakan, two brothers of Surapadman. They were ruling Mayapuram at the foot of the Vindhya mountains and were blocking the way by standing in the form of a huge mountain. Seeing the mountain, the followers of Tirumal (Lord Visnu) were terrified. Lord Murugan decided to fight with Tarakan and kill him.

At the command of Lord Murugan, Veerabahu went with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and fought with Tarakan. A fierce battle followed.